A century ago, Edgar Rice Burroughs wrote ‘A Princess of Mars’, the first novel in his Barsoom series. Since then it has gone on to inspire a whole host of films, Star Wars and Avatar among them. Fast forward 100 years later and super fan of the books Andrew Stanton, famous for animated flicks WALL-E and Finding Nemo, has been given a $300 million budget and the task of bringing Burroughs’ vision to life in his first live action feature. Is it a success, or has the originality of Burroughs’ story been bled out in the years it’s taken John Carter to get to the big screen?
follow AMON on twitter
Like a girl who loves bad boys, Cinema loves anti-heroes, and comic books have no shortage of them. Wolverine and Hulk may be among the most popular bad-asses, but Ghost Rider has a strong claim at being the ultimate anti-hero. 2007’s Ghost Rider didn’t manage to depict that effectively, raking in a notable $227 million worldwide but garnering a lot of criticism in the process. With directors of Crank Brian Taylor and Mark Neveldine at the helm, is Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance the film that the character deserves?
follow Amon on twitter
Synopsis: Frustrated by his sedentary job as ‘housekeeper’ in Cape Town, rookie agent Matt Weston (Ryan Reynolds) gets more than he bargained for when former CIA agent turned fugitive Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington) is captured and brought to his safe house. When mercenaries attack the house, Weston must go on the run with Frost to figure out who wants them dead.
follow Amon on twitter
We cover most aspects of art from photography to film but not so much the performing arts- it’s an area we’ve not really touched on so we’re giving it a go! One of my friends Lucy Basaba is about to kick things off with her review of ‘Cirque du Soleil: Totem‘ at the Royal Albert Hall. Catch her review after the break.
Follow Lucy on twitter
When Liam Neeson’s Taken arrived in 2008, nobody could have predicted that it would go on to earn over $226 million worldwide. The film reinvented Neeson as an action movie star, and 2010’s The A-Team only gave further credence to that fact. It’s no wonder that many are looking forward to Taken 2 later this year, but in the meantime Neeson has reunited with The A-Team director Joe Carnahan for The Grey, a genre transcendent film which benefits much from the realistic environment it plunges its characters into. Read on for my spoiler-free review.
Follow Amon on twitter
One definition of power is ‘a measurement of an entity’s ability to control its environment’. Power manifests itself in many forms; for J. Edgar Hoover, secrets were power, and he amassed much of it during his 48-year career. It’s a concept that is at the heart of Clint Eastwood’s latest, a biopic on the infamous founder of the FBI. Eastwood is no stranger to depicting well-known figures on screen, with 2009’s Nelson Mandela biopic Invictus an impressive credit in a bulging filmography. Is J. Edgar another notable notch for Eastwood? Read on for more.
follow Amon on twitter
Addiction has been dealt with in a myriad of styles by many different directors; alcohol, drugs and smoking obsessions have all been depicted numerous times on the big screen. It is noticeable then, that when comparing sex addiction to these obsessions, it has not been shown nearly as much in film. This is arguably a reflection of our modern society, as there is almost a taboo-like trait surrounding sex addiction. And yet, it’s the subject matter of choice that ambitious director Steve McQueen has decided to unabashedly tackle. It’s also McQueen’s second feature, a follow-up to 2008’s Hunger (also starring Michael Fassbender), and it is one which is sure to be unavoidably divisive, particularly in its many graphic scenes. Does Shame penetrate the mind as well as the body? Read on for my review.
follow me on twitter
